city or town Elkader vicinity, county Clayton Legal Description: (If Rural) Township Name Township No. Range No. Section Quarter of Quarter

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1 Site Inventory Form State Inventory No New Supplemental State Historical Society of Iowa Part of a district with known boundaries (enter inventory no.) (December 1, 1999) Relationship: Contributing Noncontributing Contributes to a potential district with yet unknown boundaries National Register Status:(any that apply) Listed De-listed NHL DOE 9-Digit SHPO Review & Compliance Number Non-Extant (enter year) 1. historic name - Rivola Theatre other names/site number Max Goldberg Store; Voss Realty 2. Location street & number 119 North Main Street city or town Elkader vicinity, county Legal Description: (If Rural) Township Name Township No. Range No. Section Quarter of Quarter (If Urban) Subdivision Original Town Block(s) 4 Lot(s) N 1/3 of Lot 3 3. State/Federal Agency Certification [Skip this Section] 4. National Park Service Certification [Skip this Section] 5. Classification Category of Property (Check only one box) Number of Resources within Property building(s) If Non-Eligible Property If Eligible Property, enter number of: district Enter number of: Contributing Noncontributing site buildings 1 buildings structure sites sites object structures structures objects objects Total 1 Total Name of related project report or multiple property study (Enter N/A if the property is not part of a multiple property examination). Title Historical Architectural Data Base Number Arch. & Hist. Resources of the Elkader Downtown Historic District MPD Function or Use Historic Functions (Enter categories from instructions) Current Functions (Enter categories from instructions) 02G04 Tavern 02E03 Dry Goods 02A02 Office Building 01B02 Apartments 08A Theater 7. Description Architectural Classification (Enter categories from instructions) Materials (Enter categories from instructions) 05B Italianate foundation 03 Brick; 04 Stone walls roof 03 Brick 15C01 Ruber Membrane other Narrative Description ( SEE CONTINUATION SHEETS, WHICH MUST BE COMPLETED) 8. Statement of Significance Applicable National Register Criteria (Mark x representing your opinion of eligibility after applying relevant National Register criteria) Yes No More Research Recommended A Property is associated with significant events. Yes No More Research Recommended B Property is associated with the lives of significant persons. Yes No More Research Recommended C Property has distinctive architectural characteristics. Yes No More Research Recommended D Property yields significant information in archaeology or history.

2 119 North Main Street Site Number Elkader District Number Criteria Considerations A Owned by a religious institution or used for religious purposes. B Removed from its original location. C A birthplace or grave. D A cemetery E A reconstructed building, object, or structure. F A commemorative property. G Less than 50 years of age or achieved significance within the past 50 years. Areas of Significance (Enter categories from instructions) Significant Dates Construction date 02 ARCHITECTURE 1900 check if circa or estimated date Other dates 05 COMMERCE Significant Person (Complete if National Register Criterion B is marked above) Architect/Builder Architect Narrative Statement of Significance ( SEE CONTINUATION SHEETS, WHICH MUST BE COMPLETED) 9. Major Bibliographical References Bibliography See continuation sheet for citations of the books, articles, and other sources used in preparing this form 10. Geographic Data UTM References (OPTIONAL) Zone Easting Northing Zone Easting Northing Builder See continuation sheet for additional UTM references or comments 11. Form Prepared By name/title Marlys Svendsen, Svendsen Tyler, Inc. organization of Elkader date 7/2011 street & number N3834 Deep Lake Road telephone 715/ city or town Sarona state WI zip code ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION (Submit the following items with the completed form) FOR ALL PROPERTIES 1. Map: showing the property s location in a town/city or township. 2. Site plan: showing position of buildings and structures on the site in relation to public road(s). 3. Photographs: representative black and white photos. If the photos are taken as part of a survey for which the Society is to be curator of the negatives or color slides, a photo/catalog sheet needs to be included with the negatives/slides and the following needs to be provided below on this particular inventory site: Roll/slide sheet # Frame/slot # Date Taken Roll/slide sheet # Frame/slot # Date Taken Roll/slide sheet # Frame/slot # Date Taken See continuation sheet or attached photo & slide catalog sheet for list of photo roll or slide entries. Photos/illustrations without negatives are also in this site inventory file. FOR CERTAIN KINDS OF PROPERTIES, INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING AS WELL 1. Farmstead & District: (List of structures and buildings, known or estimated year built, and contributing or non-contributing status) 2. Barn: a. A sketch of the frame/truss configuration in the form of drawing a typical middle bent of the barn. b. A photograph of the loft showing the frame configuration along one side. c. A sketch floor plan of the interior space arrangements along with the barn s exterior dimensions in feet. State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) Use Only Below This Line Concur with above survey opinion on National Register eligibility: Yes No More Research Recommended This is a locally designated property or part of a locally designated district. Comments: Evaluated by (name/title): Date:

3 Page 1 7. Description: This building is estimated by the Assessor to have been built in The building was not in place until sometime between 1895 and 1902 according to the Sanborn Maps for Elkader published in those years. An historic photo in 1899 shows the building not in place and the abstract for the property identifies a frame business building situated on a lot 22 feet by 120 feet still in place on December 24, A building date of ca is consistent with the design of the building, the identical cornice on the McLaughlin and Humphrey Building erected to the south in The Schoch Building at 119 N. Main Street is an example of an Italianate Style commercial building. This 2-story narrow front building has a limestone foundation, reddish-brown colored brick walls, a flat roof, a bracketed cornice made of embossed metal, and a front façade divided into two bays. The building may have been designed by architect G.F. Guilbert of Dubuque and was likely constructed by J. M. Jensen serving as contractor and Anton Willie as brick mason. The three men all worked on the design and construction of the McLaughlin and Humphrey Building at N. Main Street in The Schoch Building has an elaborate bracketed cornice that is identical to that of the McLaughlin and Humphrey Building. The only difference is the narrower width and lack of parapet sign board or date block. On the upper level, the building has two pair of 1/1 flat-arched double-hung windows with limestone sills. When the building was adapted for use as a theater in the 1920s, the storefront was modified to include a marquee (nonextant). When this use was discontinued in the early 1940s, the storefront was remodeled and again after new ownership in The storefront currently has an entrance to the upper level on the south edge with a recessed entrance for the shop space on the right. Large plate glass windows are to either side of the door beneath a wide series of metal panels beneath the metal I- beam separating the upper and lower levels. 8. Significance: The Schoch Building at 119 N. Main Street is an example of an Italianate Style commercial building. The building occupies a site along North Main Street and is a contributing resource in the Elkader Downtown Historic District. The district derives significance under both Criteria A and C. Under Criterion A, the district s commercial buildings are associated with the historic contexts developed for the downtown in the Architectural and Historical Resources of the Elkader Downtown Historic District Multiple Property Documentation form covering the years 1846 to Under Criterion C, the district s Italianate Style design is representative of commercial architectural development that took place from the 1880s through the turn of the 20 th century. Elkader Downtown Historic District Background: The town of Elkader was laid out in 1846 along the banks of the Turkey River approximately 16 miles upstream from the Turkey River s confluence with the Mississippi River. The town was surveyed and laid out in 1846 with the Original Town Plat filed in June 22, 1846by Timothy Davis, Chester Sage and John Thompson, friends and business partners, who began operating a sawmill on North Front (Main) Street in 1845 before the town was even platted. By 1849 they had a successful flour mill in operation.

4 Page 2 The new town was named for Abd el-kader, an Algerian freedom fighter and world figure who was admired by Davis. The principal building stimulating development in the 1840s and 1850s was the Elkader Mill. After 1860 when the voters selected Elkader as the permanent county seat, the downtown saw a variety of merchants set up shops, several hotels open, a number of newspapers begin publication, and small manufacturing concerns get underway in the city center. Elkader numbered 440 residents in The new county court house saw its first section completed in 1869 opposite the downtown. New limestone buildings were erected along both North and South Main Street with public halls frequently located on upper floors. During the 1870s and 1880s 2-story brick buildings began replacing frame business houses. A permanent railroad connection was completed by the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul RR in 1886 but service remained poor as Elkader was located at the end of a spur rather than along a main line route. A more important transportation improvement during the 1880s was the completion of the Keystone Bridge across the Turkey River in Its completion prompted a period of economic vitality and community investment. The community was officially incorporated two years later in 1891 and a new waterworks system and city well were completed in Electricity was rejected by locals until the end of the decade in 1900, however. In the meantime, new churches were built in 1897 for the Congregationalists on the east side of the river and in for the Catholics on the west side of the river Coupled with a series of major fires during the 1890s, the downtown saw a period of rebuilding with a new hotel and bank at the entrance to the business district at the turn of the century. The new opera house was completed on North Main Street while other 2 and 3-story brick blocks appeared both north and south of Bridge Street. By 1900, Elkader s population stood at its peak of 1,321 an increase of 77 percent during the decade of the 1890s. Development continued in the downtown before and after World War I but at a much slower pace. Floods and fires damaged the Elkader Mill in 1902, 1906 and 1908, but it was nevertheless rebuilt by Schmidt Brothers & Co., retaining a key employer and anchor for Elkader s downtown. The business district began to extend to the west before and after the war with the principal changes seen along West Bridge Street. Here livery stables and wagon shops were replaced by automobile dealerships, implement companies and filling stations. Five stations eventually located along West Bridge with a sixth one block to the south along First Street SW. The national economic depression of the 1930s was coupled by the closing of the Elkader Mill in 1939 following a major fire. Natural disasters after World War I included major floods in 1922, 1947, and 1958 with a tornado destroying section of South Main Street in 1958 as well. Despite these natural and human made disasters, Elkader saw steady but modest population growth from 1,223 in 1920 to 1,526 in The impact of the automobile was seen in traffic patterns, parking patterns, and traffic signs and the introduction of electricity saw several generations of street lighting come and go. The popularity of the opera house waned and the first floor became the municipal fire station while two movie houses came and one stayed in the downtown drawing evening crowds for entertainment and shopping. As many as 130 people resided in downtown flats during this period. A good system of inter and intra-state highways connected Elkader and its downtown to other parts of the state and country in a way that railroads had never served the community. By 1960, downtown Elkader was well-established as one of several geographically dispersed retail centers serving.

5 Page 3 Virtually every storefront was filled with start-up businesses or multi-generational family stores as Elkader s downtown achieved a stable and healthy status for local and countywide residents. Historic Background for the Schoch Building at 119 N. Main Street: In 1878 Amelia Schmidt acquired this parcel from George and Mary Meyer with a 2-story frame building in place. She married Henry Schoch a short-time later and he operated a tavern here through the 1880s while the couple was married and continued to do so after Amelia s death in In March 1898, the property was transferred to Henry by court referee from the couple s children. It is believed this was done in anticipation of Henry erecting a new building on the premises. The property abstract entry notes that a 2-story frame building was in place when the transfer took place. An historic photo taken of the west side of North Main Street shows the frame building still in place after the Borman Block fire occurred in June 1899 dating the Schoch Building sometime after that date. By 1898 Henry Schoch s saloon business had transitioned to include sales of wine and liquor in partnership with the Dinan brothers before the new building was erected. Schoch died at the age of just 46 on June 30, 1901 and the property was sold to Humphrey and McLaughlin in A newspaper entry from the Elkader Register in September 11, 1902 suggests that a new building was tol be put in place in the spring making it possible that the Schoch Building was not completed until after Henry s death when ownership had passed to Humphrey and McLaughlin owners of the building next door to the south. In November 1902, Max Goldberg announced that he would be opening a general store in the Schoch Building. He continued his business at this location until October 1914 when M. Geraghty s barber shop located here. In 1920, ownership of the building passed solely to James Humphrey when John W. McLaughlin and his wife Margaret sold their half interest to Humphrey. The following year, Humphrey sold Joe Miller a half interest in the building. In 1921, The first theater to open in Elkader opened as Rivola Theatre at 119 North Main Street. It had several owners/operators

6 Page 4 including Joe Lynch beginning in 1921, R. M. Bernau briefly served as operator prior to 1925, and T.H. Veenschoten beginning in the spring of By that fall, Veenschoten appears to have made substantial improvements making it a major draw in Elkader s downtown. The following article appeared in the Elkader Register in September 1925: Only the latest and best in motion pictures are featured at the Rivola Theatre at Elkader, since it became the property of T. Veenschoten early this spring. In fact the Rivola of Elkader is successful in securing first run pictures shortly after they are shown in the larger cities. This is due to his splendid booking connections. The Rivola Theatre here is considered to be one the best, for a city the size of Elkader, in this state. Its seating capacity is 250. These seats are all on the main floor which are arranged so as to afford every person the best possible view of the screen. Mr. Veenschoten purchased the theatre from Joe Lynch who had owned and operated it for a number of years. Although new in this territory Mr. Veenschoten is much pleased with the interest that the people here have shown in his efforts to bring the best in the motion picture world to them. Featured by the Rivola are the best productions of First National and Paramount pictures together with all the popular comedies and news features. A great many attractions are first run pictures, and although these are most expensive, Mr. Veenschoten is of the belief that Elkader critics demand the best. Prices to see these attractions are oft time lower than in the larger cities 1 In 1927 Belma and Harold Hall purchased the Rivola Theatre and two years later in early April 1929 with new equipment installed, the Halls proudly presented the first talkie in - Alias Jimmy Valentine at the Rivola. The Elkader Register related that the Sunday crowds during the threeday run taxed the capacity of the theatre. Various formats of sound films were introduced at the Rivola in the 1920s and the first color films appeared by During the 1930s the Rivola continued to operate though management of the building saw it fall into disrepair. By 1935, a major improvement was made to the building front. Patrons of the Rivola Theatre here have been impressed with the new exterior decor - ations of this amusement place. A new steel ceiling has been placed on the canopy in front of the theatre, and this has been painted in aluminum. Numerous little lights have been added to the ceiling and around the edge of the canopy. The entire front of the theatre has been painted with aluminum and trimmed with black. The front is really attractive in its new dress. 2 By the end of World War II, the Rivola Theatre had closed and the building was sold to Donald E. Matt and his wife Allene. They located Matt and Frye, an electric goods and repair business, there 1 Rivola Presenting Only the Best and Latest of Popular Attractions. Is Owned and Operated by Experienced Manager, Elkader Register, September 10, Redecorate Front of Rivola Theatre,

7 Page 5 beginning in It remained in the Matt family until 1980 when Lucian Luke Donlon and his wife Anna Mae acquired it. They operated Donlon TV and Appliances from the building. They held it until 1998 when Bernard Bud Voss and his wife Myra acquired it. The building is occupied by Voss Real Estate in Major Sources: 1984 History of. Genealogical Society, Elkader, Iowa: Griffith Press, Anderson, David C. Reconnaissance Survey of Elkader, Iowa. Historic Preservation Commission and Main Street Elkader, March 1, Andreas, A.T. Illustrated Historical Atlas of the State of Iowa. Chicago: Andreas Atlas Co., Appraisal Records for Elkader Downtown Properties, Assessor s Office, Bird s Eye View Map, Elkader, Iowa, Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Doniat and Zastrow. Elkader Historical Society/Carter House Museum research file for 119 North Main Street; files focusing on downtown Elkader buildings, businesses, civic leaders and related information. Compiled by Marge Costigan and other museum volunteers. Research files contain hundreds of historic photos, newspaper articles, publication transcriptions, property ownership records, and information from interviews. Digital copies of some research files were loaned to Marlys Svendsen, October 2010 and others were made available in March 2011 for duplication. Census of State of Iowa for the years 1856, 1867, 1875, 1885, 1895, 1905, 1915, and 1925 as printed by various State Printers., Iowa, Memories & Heritage from the Photo Albums of. Elkader, Iowa: The Register, Downtown Building Survey (73 surveyed buildings) records including survey questionnaires, draft Iowa Site Inventory Forms and digital photographs. Main Street Elkader, Downtown Elkader Business Questionnaires completed by property/business owners, Downtown Elkader Individual Property Site Maps compiled by Eli Garms, GIS, Engineer s Office, Elkader, November Elkader Building Survey (62 surveyed buildings). Main Street Elkader, Elkader Historic Photograph Collection (digital). Elkader Public Library, Elkader. Digital files loaned to Marlys Svendsen, December 2008.

8 Page 6 Elkader, Iowa , the Past, the Present the Future. 125 th Anniversary Edition, The Register, Elkader, Iowa, July 21, Elkader Telephone Directories, 1922, 1923, 1924, 1932, 1933, 1960 and Gottfried, Herbert and Jan Jennings. American Vernacular Design, New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, Insurance Maps for Elkader. (New York: The Sanborn Company), 1895, 1902, 1913, 1930, and Keystone Bridge Centennial Edition. The Register, Elkader, Iowa, July 26, Olson, Edward W. Look What you Started Mr. Davis Elkader, Iowa: History, Facts and Folklore about Elkader, Iowa U.S.A., ca Plat Book of, Iowa, Minneapolis: Warner & Foote, Plat of Elkader, June 22, Recorder s Office,, Court House, Elkader, Iowa,. Powell, Harry. The Elkader Story. unpublished first draft, December 1980; copy available at Elkader Public Library. Price, Realto E., editor. History of, Iowa from the Earliest historical Times Down to the Present, Volumes I and II. Chicago: Robert O. Law Company, Property Transfer Records for Blocks 3 10 and Fractional Blocks 3-6 in Town of Elkader, Auditor s Office and Recorder s Office, Court House, Elkader, Iowa. Shank, Wesley I. Iowa s Historic Architects: A Biographical Dictionary. Iowa, Iowa: University of Iowa Press, Standard Atlas of, Iowa. Chicago: George A. Ogle & Co., United States Census, (population figures provided by State Library of Iowa, January 2011 and of Elkader, March 2011).

9 Page 7 Additional Information: Full Legal Description: Original Town of Elkader, N 1/3 of LOT 3 BLK 4.

10 Page 8 Photographs: historic view looking west along North Main Street after the fire that destroyed the Borman corner in June The newly completed McLaughlin and Humphrey Building is visible across the street (photo courtesy of Myra Voss, Voss Realty); contemporary view, looking west (September 16, 2010, Marlys Svendsen, Svendsen Tyler, Inc., photographer)